This week city council agreed they can't do without the use of public courses. The city will undertake debt financing to the tune of $2.1 million for the course to rebuild the front nine holes as a complement to the new road.

"Essentially get that $2.1 million for the golf course and then the course will pay back that loan annually," said Fort Myers Public Information Officer Kirsten O'Donnell.

Councilman Johnny Streets Jr. would not go on camera but says he's been very supportive of the course within his ward. He says it was a simple decision to vote for providing the money for Eastwood. In his opinion, the course could prove to be an important amenity for developers interested in the east Fort Myers community.

Streets said he's in favor of renovating the entire course. Doing so would cost an estimated $4,566,400, of which $570,000 will be paid from the road project and the remaining $3.99 million will be borrowed.

"We have 180 golf courses within an hour of where we're standing. Many of them are private clubs," Brown said

Florida is golf mecca for many tourists, but public courses are slowly becoming extinct. Making matters worse, courses like Eastwood are nearly 40 years old with infrastructure and irrigation issues on at least half of their holes.

"We have been Band-Aiding that for many years, and we know we have to make some form of renovation at some point," Brown said.

The back nine holes are still open as well as the driving range. Course officials say they plan to have construction finished by the end of this summer in time for season.

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